Description

This Spooky Ghost Shepherd’s Pie is a festive and comforting dish perfect for Halloween. It features a savory mix of ground beef, green beans, and tomato sauce topped with creamy mashed potatoes piped into ghost shapes. The optional cheddar cheese adds a melty delight, while chives or black sesame seeds create spooky eyes for a fun presentation. This hearty casserole combines classic shepherd’s pie flavors with a playful twist for a kid-friendly and family-approved meal.

Ingredients

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Meat and Vegetable Filling

1 lb. ground beef (cooked or leftover from taco night)
2 cans green beans, drained
2 cans tomato sauce
¼ tsp. onion salt
¼ tsp. garlic salt
½ tsp. Real Salt (divided)
½ tsp. black pepper (divided)

Mashed Potato Topping

6 large Yukon gold potatoes
4 tbsp. butter
½ cup heavy whipping cream
1 ½ tsp. Real Salt
½ tsp. black pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
Chives or black sesame seeds for ghost eyes

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Instructions

Preheat oven: Set your oven to 375°F (190°C) to prepare for baking the shepherd’s pie.
Cook ground beef: In a frying pan, crumble and cook the ground beef with onion salt, garlic salt, and ½ tsp. black pepper until it is no longer pink but still moist, avoiding overcooking or crispiness.
Mix filling: In a 9×13-inch baking dish, combine the drained green beans and tomato sauce. Stir in ½ tsp. Real Salt. Add the cooked ground beef to this mixture and stir well to distribute the flavors evenly.
Add cheese and bake: If using, sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the meat and vegetable mixture. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until the filling is hot throughout and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Prepare mashed potatoes: While the filling bakes, peel and cut the potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Boil in a large pot of water until tender when pierced with a fork. Drain thoroughly.
Mash potatoes: Mash the potatoes with the butter until melted and smooth. Slowly add the heavy whipping cream, 1 ½ tsp. Real Salt, and ½ tsp. black pepper while whipping to achieve a creamy, fluffy consistency.
Decorate pie: Transfer the mashed potatoes into a piping bag or a plastic baggie with a corner snipped off. Pipe the potatoes over the baked shepherd’s pie filling in ghost shapes.
Add eyes: Place chives or black sesame seeds on each mashed potato ghost to create spooky eyes and enhance the Halloween theme.
Serve hot: Serve the spooky ghost shepherd’s pie warm for a festive and delicious Halloween meal. Enjoy!

Notes

You can substitute leftover cooked ground beef from taco night to save cooking time.
If you prefer, sweet potatoes can be used instead of Yukon gold potatoes for a different flavor.
Cheddar cheese is optional but adds a delicious melty topping.
For a vegetarian version, swap ground beef with plant-based crumbles and use vegetable broth instead of heavy cream.
Ensure the mashed potato ghosts are piped thick enough to hold their shape after baking.
Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven for best texture.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 1/12th of recipe)
Calories: 320
Sugar: 5 g
Sodium: 450 mg
Fat: 15 g
Saturated Fat: 7 g
Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 28 g
Fiber: 4 g
Protein: 18 g
Cholesterol: 55 mg